Automatic reminder.



H. E. M. KENSH.

AUTOMATIC REMINDER.

APPLIOATIOH rum) no 20, 1912.

1,039,712, Patentecl Mar.10,'1914.

4 SBEETE-BHEBT l.

H. B. M. KENSIT.

AUTOMATIC REMINDER.

APPLICATION mum nnc. 20,1912. 7

Patented Mar. 10, 1914.

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BELL TO RING.

0 CLOCK WILL RUN H. E. M. KENSIT. AUTOMATIC REMINDER.

APPLICATION mum 1120.20, m2.

Patented Mar. 10, 1914 4 SHEETS-SHEET 8.

1s 58 so 51 s1 '46 '1 Ti H m m ID mm m KR w MT m B0 in A APPLICATIONFILED 1320.20, 1912.

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Patented Mar. 10, 1914 /Y//V/V//V Qua;

HENRY EDWARD MORDAUNT KENSIT, OF OTTAWA, ONTARIO, CANADA.

AUTOMATIC REMINDER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Mar. 10, 1914.

Application filed December 20, 1912. Serial No. 737,873.

To all whom. it may concern Be it. known that 1, HENRY EDWARD Monowx'rKnxsi'i, a subject of the Crown of (treat Britain, and resident ofOttawa, in. the Province of Ontario, Dominion of Canada, have invented anew and useful linprovement in Automatic Reminders, of which thefollowing is a specification.

My invention relates to a mechanical. reminder adapted to be operated bya. time piece to give both a visual and audible signal at anypi'edetern'iined time within the scope of the instrument.

The object is to provide a simple, accurate and durable instrument ofthe above cliaracter. in which signals may he and automatically operatedentirely jindt pendent of one another and at any subdivisi m of time orat repeated subdivisions of time.

A further object is to provide mechanism of the above character in whichthe act. of setting the instrument for giving a signal at a future timestores the energy for producing the signal when the time arrives.

A further object is to provide for varying the intensity of the audiblesignal to suit the wishes of the user.

.i further object is to provide for keeplug plainly before the user thetime when the clock or other time piece must be rewound to insure theoperation of the desired signal.

With these ends in view, my invention consists in certain features ofconstruction and combinations of parts as will be hereinafter describedand pointed out in the claims.

To illustrate my invention, I have chosen a form in which a twelve hourperiod has each hour subdivided into twelve parts of live minutes :ach,the mechanism being shown in connection with an eight day clock of wellknown construction. llv will be obvious, however, that. the particularnumber of subdivisions is a matter of choice and that the signalingmechanism may be connected with any special clock movement.

In the aecom ninying di'. 'iings, Figure l is a top plan View showingthe signal dial plate exposed. Fig. l is a front elevation, showing onesignal in its announcing position and others in position to be releasedat the proper times. Fig. :5 is a vertical section from front to rear inthe plane of the line A-.\. Fig. 1. Fig. l is a horizontal ,any wellknown or section, partially broken away, in the plane of the line. B-Il,Fig. 3. Fig. 5 is a transverse vertical section in the plane of the lineC C, Fig. 4. Fig. (3 is a View in detail of the bell ringing mechanism.Fig. 7 is a transverse section through the same. in the plane of theline D d), Fig. (5. Fig. 8 is a view in detail of the means foroperating the winding caution dial, and Fig. 9 is a view in detail,showing the means for releasing a tripping shaft during the engagementof the driving rack therewith.

The mechanism of the reminder is conveniently housed in the same casewith the time piece, in the present instance, a clock, the casing beingshown as an oblong box, and only so much of the clock work being shownas is necessary to a clear understand ing of the operation of thereminder, i

In the top portion of the casing 1, there is located a plate 2 providedwith twelve rows of slots 3. each row consisting of twelve slots, thisarrangement being su table for operating a rtiiiinder at any five minuteperiod throughout twelve hours. At the front end of the casing l, theclock face 4 is loeatethaml at the back end of the casing, the signalbells 5 and (5 are located. The casing 1 may have a cover, not shown, of

approved form, to protect the slotted plate 2, from dust when thereminder is not in use. Each slot 3 is provided with a lobe 7 forreceiving a. rack 8 on the stem 5) of a cord support 10, the latterconsisting simply of a plate having its opposite edges bent over to formgrooves 11, for receiving the opposite. edges of a card 12 on which maybe written the memorandum to which it is desired to call attention at' acertain time. There may be as many of these card holders provided asdesired. They are quite similar in construction and any one may beinserted in. any slot so that the number actually required would nati'irally depend upon the greatest number of memoranda likely to be setready for operation at one time. Each card holder has thereon a fixedcollar l3 and a. sliding collar 14, and between these collars, a coilspring 15, the tension of which is sufficient to lift the card holderand soundan alarm, as will hereinafter appear. Side plates 16, 17, and

end plates l8, 19 within the casing I, serve to support theseveralcooperative parts of the reminder.

Pawl supporting rods 90. one for each hour series of slots 3, are eachprovided with twelve pawls 21, spaced apart by sleeves 22 and so locatedunder the tension of their actuating springs 23, that as a card holderstem is inserted into a slot 3 and pushed downward, it will swing a pawl21 laterally against the ten-- sion of its spring 23 and finally whenthe stem has reached its downward limit, the pawl 21 will spring backinto a recess 24 in the side of the stem and thereby lock the cardholder against unintentional upward movement with the spring 15compressed. iach pawl 21 carries at its free end, a pivoted trippingtooth 25, free to swing in one direction toward the position which itscoacting card holder stem occupies, and held against a free swingingmovement in the opposite direction, so that when it pressed in thelatter direction, it will swing the pawl 21 with it and release the cardholder stem which may be at the time locked by the pawl.

Trip shafts 26 are mounted in the side frames 16, 17, one for each hourseries of slots, and each provided with twelve triping lugs or teeth 27arranged in a spiral line on the surface of the shaft in position toengage one after another, the successive pawls 21 in an hour series. Thetripping shafts are rotated in succession and each makes a completerevolution in one hour. The tripping lugs or teeth 27 are so spaced thateach willv be in position to trip its pawl just five minutes after itspredecessor has reached its tripping position, so that a card holdingstem may be set in position to be operated at each successive fiveminutes during each of the twelve hours and each will be released at themoment the clock indicates its particular time, it being understood thatthe rotation of the tripping shafts is synchronous with the travel ofthe hands of the clock. The setting of any one or more of the cardholder stems in an hour series will not in any manner interfere with theone or more already set, since there a separate lug on the trippingshaft for each pawl, each pawl, lug, and card holder stem forming acomplete unit or set independent of and separate from all other similarsets.

When the pawl is not engaged by a stem,-

its actuating spring swings it into a position where the lugs on thetripping shaft will not engage it.

The several tripping shafts 26 are consecutively rotated by a rack 28carried by an endless belt or chain 20 on sprocket wheels 30, 3]. Togive the chain 29 suiticient length and sprocket wheels sufficient sizefor satisfactory work, three racks of depending therefrom= l l l I l t ll l g I, 1. i

similar construction are located on the endless chain 25) at twelvehourintervals upon. each rack being of snfheient length to rotate atripping shaft once during an hour. the

. A rack Til.

racks engage toothed pinions 32 on the revolution of one shalt it be 'msthe revolution of a succeeding shaft. The racks are made adjustable bymeans of slot 323 and set screws 34, (ii to set them in the exactdesired relation to the pinions on the tripping shafts.

To'prevent the shafts 2U from unintentional rotary displacement when notengaged by the rack, a tem 'iorary lock is provided consisting, as hereshown, of a gravity latch 30, one for each tripping shaft, provided witha lip 37 adapted to swing into position between two consecutive teeth onthe pinion 32. A laterally projecting releasii'ig plate on the rank 28.swings the latch ac to one side and r. :eases the tripping shaft 526while the rack is engaged with its pinion. A belt or chain guide 39serves to hold the belt or chain from sagging intermediate of thesprocket wheels 30, 3], and hence holds the rack in positive engagement.with each of the successive pinions on the tripping shafts.

The shaft 40 of the sprocket Wheel 30, has a worm wheel 41 thereon (seeFig. 8) which is driven by a worm 42, on the main spring shaft 43 of theclockwork (see Fig. at), to impart motion to the endless belt or chain29 and hence to the racks 28 for driving the tripping shafts 26.

The mechanism thus far described is complete, so far as the signal for avisual reminder concerned, and may be used independently of the featuresto be hereinafter described, if so desired. I prefer, however, tocombine with the visual signal, an audible signal to insure theattention of the person interested to the visual signal in the event theperson be absorbed in other matters in the immediate vicinity of thereminder or located at the moment in another room within hearingdistance. To this end, bell operating shafts 44, one for each series ofhourly separated slots, extend transverse to the tripping shafts and areeach provided with teeth 4-5 extending in the present instance,eontinuouslv along the surface of the shaft in position to be engaged bythe rac b, on any one of the stems f) of the card holders when the stemsare pushed down into set position and when the stems move upward afterhaving been released by the locking pawl 21 tripped by a lug on thetrirming shaft. The bell operating shafts H are reduced at their rearends and have, with the exception of the central shaft, looselv llnllnllftil thereon. sleeves 40. each sleeve carrying at one end aratchet toothed wheel -17 and at its opposite end a pinion 48, (see 4and (3). The shafts -11- each have fixrd thereon a laterall pr jectingarm -69 to which is pivoted a pawl 5 in engxigement with the ratchetwheel 47. c iomor to the smeral pinions is, is allowed a limited slidingmovement on its supports 52, 53, and returned and held normally at thelimit of its sliding movement to the right, (drawing Fig. 5) by thespring 54, one end of which is attached to the side plate 17 and theother to an adjust ing screw 55, engaged in a bracket 56, at taehed tothe rack. The central bell operating shaft has its rear end seated in asocket in the hub of the ratchet wheel 57, corresponding to the ratchetwheels 47, the ratchet wheel 57 and its corresponding pinion 48, beingfixed to rotate with a spindle 58. carrying a toothed wheel 59 (see Fig.7), for operating the vibrator 60, carrying the bell hammer 61, andcausing the hammer to swing into engagement with the bell. Springs (32,G3, tend to hold the hammer (it normally in a central position betweenthe bells. The bells 5 and 6 are supported on the rearwardly extendedbranches 64, (35, of arms 66, 67, hinged on a pintle 68, (see Fig. 6). Arod 69 is provided with spreading cams 70, 71. and extends through tothe front of the casing where it is provided with a wheel 72 forrotating it and hence spreading the arms 66, 67, and moving the bellsapart from each other to soften the sound. An index on the front of thecasing serves, in connection with a pointer 73 on the wheel 72, todetermine the setting of the bells to give the desired intensity ofsound.

From the above description it will be seen that the rotation of a bellringing shaft 44, by the downward movement of a. stem 9, in setting acard holder for a signal, will cause the pawl 50 to ride idly over theteeth on the ratchet wheel 47, and hence will not operate the pinion 48and rack .31, to ring the bell. and no matt r how many card holder stemsare set along the same shaft t l, the one will not interfere with anyother. 'hen the stem is pressed home and engaged by the pawl, the rack 8is below and clear of the shaft 44, so that no matter how many stems areinserted, the shaft 44 is always free to be acted on by an uprisingstem. \Vhen, however, any stem is released and allowed to spring upward,its ra k R will turn a shaft 44 in the direction to cause the pawl so toengage the ratchet wheel 47 and rotate it and hence the pinion 48, andthus slide the rack 5!. and through the spindle 5b and toothed whecl 59,sound the alarm. This action of a released stem on its bcll ringingshaft will not interfere with any stem set for a later period along thesame shaft, and the rack $31 will have been drawn back to its normalposition as soon as the rack 8 on the released stem has passed out ofengagement with the shaft.

10 warn the person, wi depends upon, the reminder of the time theclockwork has to run before running down and hence to insure the ac'tlonof the signal w lnch may ht set, a dial 7% is mounted ust back of thefront of the casing and containing the legends LDay, Q-Days, ctc., up toS-Days, at equal intervals on its face and between the legends 1-Day andS-Ilays, the word \Vind in a color distinguishable from the color inwhich the legends are printed. This dial T4 is rotated in harmony withthe clockwork by means of a pinion 75 on its pintle T6, which through anintermediate gear wheel 77. is driven by a pinion 78 on the main springshaft of the clockwork. .\n opening 79 through the front of the casingreveals to the observer the successive legends from 8-Days to 1-Day andat this time the caution word \Vind. Over the opening 7%), the phraseClock will run is placed to make clear the significance of the legendson the dial plate 74. i

In practice, assume that the twelve hour period for the reminder beginsat 9 o'clock a. in. and ends at 9 oclock p. m. A card holder has beenplaced in the slot corresponding to 9 oclock and five minutes a. m.bearing the reminder Call up John Doe at 9.05 a. In. and the clockshowing the time to be a trifle later than 9.05. the card holder hearingsuch memorandum has been released and the memorandum is up in position tcall a. person's attention thereto. The upard movement of such cardholder sounded the bells in the manner hercinabove described. A cardholder corresponding to 2 oclock p. m. is shown set to call the personsatt ntion to the men'iorandum Standard Oil meeting 2.15 p. m." and thiswill be released at two o'clock p. m. to enable the interested person toreach the meeting at 2.15. (ard holders are also set to be released at 8oelock p. m. and 8.20 p. m., the first hear ing the memorandum 'lhcatrcengagement and the latter the memorandum Phone Richard Roe.

The above are merely samples of a few only of the many memoranda thatmay be set and automatically released to call attention to dillerentmatters throughout the day, and no interference will result if a cardmattci be set aflc a card holder calling attcntion to a later matter,whether the memoranda be set during the same hour period or in ditfcrcnthour periods.

The oil spring on the stem of the card holder is compressed hy thedownward pressure on the card holder in setting it. the loo.-c collar14- sliding upward on the stem. and the tension of this spring not onlyserves to lift the card holder when it is released but furnishes thepower to ring the bells by rotating the bell ringing shaft. This rchcvcsthe clock work of all stress save only a that required to rotate thetripping shafts ind these are rotated one at a time and at j. no onetime is more than one releasing pawl engaged by a releasing lug ortooth.

holder for calling attention to an earlier v leasing the signals at theThe instrument is suited business and professional enterprises and maybe manipulated by unskilled as well as skilled help without liability ofderangement or breakage.

The term clockwork elude any well known measuring time.

It is obvious that more or less slots for receiving signal holders maybe provided to suit a greater or lesser number of lesser subdivisions oftime or greater subdivisions of time or both, and that other changesmight be resorted to in the form and arrangement of the several partswithout departing from the spirit and scope of my inventionphence I do.not wish to limit myself strictly to the structure herein shown anddescribed, but

What I claim is:

1. An automatic reminder comprising a plurality of visual signalsupports, means for positioning the several supports for giving signalsat diflerent periods of time without interference one with another,means for storing signal actuating power by the act of positioning thesignals, a clock movement and means operated by the clock movement andsynchronously therewith for reproper times.

2. An automatic reminder comprising a plurality of visual signalsupports, means for positioning the several supports for giving signalsat different periods of time with out interference one with another,audible signals arranged to be operated by the visual signal supportssimultaneously with the operating of the visual signals, means foroperating the visual signal supports, a clock movement and meansoperated by the clock movement for releasing the visual signal supports.

3. An automatic reminder comprising a plurality of visual signalsupports, means for positioning the several sup orts for givto a varietyof is intended to inmechanism for mg signals at difi'erent periods oftime without interference one with another,

means for storing signal actuating power by the act of positioning thesignal supports, audible signals arranged to be operated by said storedpower simultaneously with the operating of the visual signals, aclockmovement and means operated by the clock movement for releasing thesaid signal supports at the proper times.

4. In an automatic reminder, the combination with a plurality ofindependent signal supports and means for actuating them, of a plateprovided with openings for receiving the supports, means for lock1n thesupports in the openings against unintentional displacement by theaction of their actuating means, a clockwork and means under the controlof the clock-work for releasing the supports at the desired moment.

5. In an automatic reminder, the combil l l l l l l l nation with aplurality of independent signal supports each provided with its own ac:tuating means, of a plate provided with openings for receiving thesupports, spring actuated locking devices, one for each support, inposition to lock the supports in position to operate under the action oftheir actuating means, a clock-work and means under the control of theclock-Work to release the spring actuated locking devices at the desiredmomen 6. In an automatic reminder, the combination with a plurality ofindependent signal supports, each provided with a coil spring foractuating the support, of a plate provided with openings to receive thesupport, the walls of the openings serving to compress the springs asthe supports are inserted in the openings,v spring-actuated lockingdevices for holding the supports in their positions in the openings, aclock-Work and tripping mechanism under the control of the clock-work torelease the spring actuated locking device at the desired moment.

In an automatic reminder, the combination with several independentsignal devices each provided with its .own actuating spring adapted tobe placed under compression as the signal device is set for use, of aslotted plate for receiving the signal devices, swinging pawls inposition to lock the signal devices in set position with their actuatingsprings under compression, a clock-work and a. rotary shaft under thecontrol of the clock-work, provided with projections for engaging andreleasing any of the pawls at predetermined moments.

8. In an automatic reminder, the combination with several independentsignal de vices and means for setting them under compression, ofswinging locking pawls, one for each signal device, and provided with atooth free to yield in one direction and held against yielding in theopposite direction, a clock-work and a rotary shaft under the wontrol ofthe clock-work, provided with releasing lugs or teeth arranged in aspiral line thereon in position to engage the said teeth on the pawlsand release the pawls when the latter are in locking position.

9. In an automatic reminder, the combination with visual signal deviceseach provided with a rack and means for setting tllOI under compressiontending to operate them, of an audible signal, toothed gears fortransmitting motion from the racks on the visual signal devices to theaudible signals. a clock-work and means under the control of theclock-work for releasing the visual signal devices.

10. In an automatic reminder, the combination with visual signaldevices, each provided with a rack and means for setting them undercompression tending to operate them, of an audible signal, toothedshafts vices and under the control of the racks.

"motion of the toothed shafts to the reek, a

each common to several visual signal dethereon, a rack common to theseveral toothed shafts, means for transmitting the device under thecontrol of the rack for opineans under the control of the clock-work forreleasing the visual signal devices.

11. In an automatic reminder, a' clockwork and releasing mechanism,visual signal devices arranged to be set under compression and under-thecontrol of the clockwork to be released, toothed shafts each eome men toseveral visual signal devices and ar- I ranged to be rotated by thevisual signal devices, a rack common to the several} toothed shafts, aratchet and pawl'oonnection b ween each of the toothed shafts and the r:k whereby the rotation of a toothed shaft in one direction will notoperate the rack and its rotation in the opposite directies; willoperate the rack, an audible signal and signal sounding mechanism underthe control of the rack. A

In testimony, that Ielaini the foregoing as any invention, I have signedmy name in presence of two witnesses, this sixteenth day of. December1912.

HENRY EDWARD MORDAUHT KENSIT.

